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Editorials   GameCube Opinions: The Controller
- By Rob Schlicht

GameCube Opinions-The Controller
The controller is always one of the places where Nintendo innovates the best. At first glance, it looks like they definitely did something different this time. Then, after you think about it, the controller begins to look more and more like a Dual Shock after drug rehab. I’m here to convince you that it isn’t. The analog stick on the far left is a lot more sturdy, and is more of a thumbpad than a control stick, like the N64’s. Although I welcome anything that is more sturdy, I, for one, never broke an analog stick, and I gave my system as good of a workout as anybody. Also, I’m not a big fan of the Dual Shock’s analog stick. Although the GameCube model looks closer to the N64’s than the PSX’s, I won’t know for sure until I hold the controller in my hand, something no one outside of Nintendo’s top brass has done yet. The D-Pad’s position is something I like. It looks like it will be easily reachable by the thumb without changing your grip on the controller. The face buttons are interesting, and a good experiment. For years, developers have been using the same button layout on every controller, with buttons laid out in a D-Pad arrangement. The N64 broke out of this a little by making the A and B buttons more prominent, but the C Buttons were in the same layout. The GameCube makes the A Button very prominent, puts B, X, and Y around it in satellites. Each satellite is a different shape, and make a triangle when you connect them. Now, if you were to close your eyes and hit a button, you’d know exactly which one it was when you felt it. The start button is as basically pointless as ever, but is smaller, so it’s practically impossible to get in the way. The analog C-Stick is something I have high hopes for. Remember, though this is designed solely to move the camera, like the C buttons on the N64, many games will use it in different fashions. Just because it’s a stick doesn’t make it any different. If anything, it looks like a hat on PC Joysticks. I hope, probably to the chagrin of everyone else, that the C-Stick won’t spring back, though. I hope that if push it to the top, it’ll stay there until you push it back to the middle. Obviously, this means you better be sure it’s in the middle when you power on the system to calibrate it, but this would allow for very precise camera direction (what it’s designed for). Just think, in Perfect Dark 2, you control yourself with the analog stick. As you’re running, you hear gunfire, and move your C-Stick to the left, turning Joanna’s head in that direction. Since it doesn’t spring back, you’re now free to use the right thumb to pump the A button, sending numerous bullets in that direction. Sound a bit more convincing now?

Now we’re in the part of the controller where I have fears. That region by the shoulder buttons. I don’t mind the L and R buttons, especially if they’re analog. The L button won’t be nearly as useless as on the N64, since it will always be reachable by your index finger. The R button has always been easily reachable. I love those two buttons, I have since Street Fighter II on the SNES. The problem I have is with the Z-button, barely noticeable, just above the R button. The Z-button was supposedly added last minute, after developers complained about the lack of buttons (a problem Dreamcast faces). Nintendo probably doesn’t want to monkey with the controller much anymore, especially with so many first-party games in development, but this button aggravates me to no end. We would be much better served if it (and possible a second Z trigger) were placed underneath the controller, much like the Dreamcast. Whether or not these would be analog would be unimportant, since at this point, only two analogs buttons are really needed for most games, but if they were under the controller it would be just about perfect.

Although it’s difficult to describe this, I’m going to try. Pick up a Dual Shock. You operate the left analog stick/D-Pad with your left thumb. You operate both L buttons with your left index finger. On the right side, you use your right thumb to operate all the face buttons, as well as the second analog on occasion. You use you right index finger to operate both R buttons. Now, tell me. If there was only one R and one L button, instead of two of each, would it be that difficult to operate two Dreamcast style triggers, one on each side, with your middle fingers? I know I could do it, and developers would love more buttons. Part of the reason first-person shooters did so well on the N64 was because of the Z-button, another Nintendo innovation. We’d be nuts to give that up. Perfect Dark 2 won’t be the same when you’re mashing the giant A button to fire your AR34.

Lastly, I wonder about this mysterious feature that Nintendo refuses to talk about in regards to the controller. It has been speculated that it could be Microphone/Headphone ports, which would be welcome. It’s been speculated that it was an LCD screen built into the controller, like the Dreamcast’s VMU. I don’t know what this feature will end up being, but I do know this. It’s very strange that there’s no place to plug in a “pak”. Even though GBA transfers directly to Dolphin, Memory Cards have a slot on the system and rumbling is built in, that takes away the opportunity to have other devices interfacing with controllers. Unless that’s what the mystery feature is, though that would be a pretty hollow reason for Nintendo to keep it secret, since Sony, Sega, and Microsoft have seen that since the N64 days.

Now, a million dollar question. Since Wavebird (A nice name by the way) controllers have an optional remote receiver, with apparently great range, how is this going to work, since we’ve seen a cord on the present version? Will you have to buy a whole new Wavebird controller, with no cord, and a receiver? Or will you be able to buy a receiver, and the cord just comes off? The latter is pretty unlikely, but I don’t know how many people will buy a remote, even if it’s first-party. I have bought a few, but batteries always seem to let you down at the most important times.

The controller looks great, but it still has a way to go.